Anyone can plan a wedding, in theory! Select a date, find a venue, create a spreadsheet, allocate a budget, source some suppliers and voila! So why hire a wedding planner? Wedding planners extraordinaire, Mango Pie, share their expert insight to answer this all-important question… Emotional Investment Hiring a wedding planner is an incredibly personal experience.…
Choosing the right caterer is absolutely key to the success of any wedding. Everyone remembers boring food or bad service – for all the wrong reasons. So how can you ensure that you are making the best decision – particularly if this is the first large ‘event’ you have organised? Sharing our industry insight, we have…
It can be so daunting organising your wedding. There is so much pressure to make every last detail perfect – not an easy task, even for the most seasoned wedding planners let alone someone who has never thrown a big party before. Here are some top tips from Bubble’s wedding planning experts that will help you…
MICHAEL COLLINS
Managing Director
Michael heads up Bubble’s senior management team and oversees the strategic direction of the company. Michael comes from a family of highly successful entrepreneurs and has accrued over 24 years of business management experience.
A dynamic, forward-thinking, creative individual, Michael’s knowledge and experience is the driving force behind the continued success of Bubble and its ongoing development and expansion.
TIM SMART
Head of Finance
Tim oversees finance, office functions, HR, Health & Safety and IT for Bubble. Tim has worked for Bubble for a number of years, having moved from a successful career within the public sector.
Tim is a member of Bubble’s senior management team, contributing to the company’s strategic vision and driving it forward. With his postgraduate degree in management, he has overseen the reorganisation of the administrative and logistics support provided to the company.
SAMANTHA WELSTEAD-WOOD
Business Development Manager
Samantha is responsible for seeking out and driving new business, tender process management, venue relationships, strategy and delivery of marketing, PR and social media, and managing special projects.
Sam brings with her a BA Honours Degree in Visual Communication Design and over 15 years experience of working closely with senior management in the education and public sectors.
JENS NISSON
Executive Head Chef and Head of Food and Beverage
Jens has over 20 years of experience in the catering industry, with a career spanning some of the best events, most prestigious venues and celebrated restaurants in the world. Having trained in London restaurants under Michelin starred chefs Marco Pierre White, Phillip Howard and John Christophe Novelli, Jens has been head chef for a number of other high level events catering companies.
Jens leads the creative direction of menus, undertaking extensive research and development activities, and is responsible for ensuring the delivery of the highest quality of food for events. He heads up the kitchen team, identifying any training requirements, and has health & safety responsibility for kitchen spaces and functions. As a member of Bubble’s senior management team, Jens contributes to the company’s strategic vision.
JESSICA INGRAM
Senior Event Sales Manager
Jessica undertakes strategic sales activities and is responsible for driving the sales team to secure events. With a wide client portfolio, she specialises in high profile, large scale events and celebrity parties.
Jessica brings with her 10 years of luxury hospitality experience having worked in both the UK and Australia. Prior to joining Bubble she was events manager at various prominent events catering companies and added to her fine dining expertise as private dining manager at a 5 star hotel.
LAURA DAVIS
Event Sales Manager
Laura is responsible for driving Bubble’s sales strategy and managing a variety of events.
Building upon her first class BSc (Hons) Hospitality Business Management with Conference & Events, Laura quickly worked her way up to lead sales and operations teams at events management and catering companies in London and Brighton.
A key highlight was heading up the catering provision for London 2012 Olympic hospitality for 13 major sponsors.
LENKO DIMOV
Senior Operations Manager
Lenko is responsible for delivering a wide range of Bubble events; preparing event schedules, booking staff, venue and supplier liaison, health & safety and staff management.
Lenko’s BA Degree in Hospitality and Business Management, gained at the University of Food Technologies, provided him with a comprehensive knowledge base in all aspects event design and delivery. His considerable expertise was further enhanced during his subsequent events and banqueting roles within 5 star hotels in the US and London, in addition to managing teams of catering staff within the US military, where precision and outstanding performance were mandatory at all times.
MIKE ROBINSON
Senior Sales and Wedding Planner
Mike manages an array of Bubble events and specialises in highly creative events with brand integration/personalisation elements including product launches, press days, art and design events and private parties. With over a decade of creating exquisite weddings, Mike is also Bubble’s dedicated in-house wedding planner.
Mike moved to the UK in 1989, when he established and managed various high profile London restaurants. Mike’s extensive fine dining and sommelier experience has proved invaluable to the Bubble team.
MARK WATTS
Head of Sales & Marketing
Leading the creative direction of events, Mark heads up the sales and marketing team and holds responsibility for the success and continued growth of events sales. Liaising with a portfolio of high profile clients from national and international brands, Mark produces truly breath-taking and innovative events.
Mark gained a First with Honours for his BA Honours Degree in Advertising and Editorial Photography, which has informed his scenographic Mark has been an integral part of the Bubble team from early on in its inception and is incredibly passionate about its continued success.
SALLY READMAN-ALLEN
Head of Operations & Purchasing
Leading the operations and warehouse teams, Sally is responsible for the successful delivery of Bubble’s exciting range of events. Her responsibilities include event staffing, training, health & safety for events, venue and supplier liaison, event delivery.
With over 10 years experience in planning and delivering high profile events at a wide range of prestigious venues, Sally is well skilled in all aspects of event management. Sally brings to Bubble a calm and meticulous approach, gained through her extensive management of events for Rolls Royce and other highly bespoke events for high networth clients.
SOPHIE HARTLEY
Event Sales Manager
Sophie is a passionate and detailed individual. The wealth of knowledge and insight she gained whilst working as a part-time floor manager at Bubble events has greatly informed her approach to her current role, resulting in flawless events and excellent customer service.
As an event sales manager, Sophie is responsible for liaising with clients, venues and other suppliers in producing proposals and quotes, and ensuring that the delivery of the event matches the agreed design. Her warm and friendly approach is often commented upon in the many glowing client testimonials she receives.
SOPHIE BOUEILH-LERIS
Operations Manager
Sophie has an extensive knowledge of delivering complex events, from product launches and corporate receptions through to opulent banquets for hundreds of guests. Her highly organised approach ensures that her events are flawless and our client tastings run smoothly.
Sophie can regularly be found in London’s Leicester Square making sure that Bubble’s film-based events, such as premieres, screenings and after-parties, are delivered perfectly.
MAGDALENA SZOJDA
Office manager
With exceptional organisation and communication skills, Magdalena Szojda oversees day-to-day office functions, ensuring that the office runs like clockwork. Her role encompasses booking staff and diary management.
ALEX STANBRIDGE
Sous Chef
Exceptional Sous Chef, Alex Stanbridge supports our incredible Executive Head Chef in delivering the highest quality, creative menus. Alex boasts extensive experience in luxury hotels, fine dining restaurants, catering for high networth clients on private jets and high end events. Directing a brigade of chefs for large volume events with ease, Alex has exceptional interpersonal skills, for both staff and clients (where chefs are front of house) and regularly provides training for junior chefs.
KATHRYN PERCEVAL-PRICE
Event Sales manager
Event Sales Manager, Kathryn Perceval-Price thrives on the challenge of producing large, complex and creatively driven events. She is adept at making excellent social and emotional connections, and seeking out the new opportunities they can present.
Kathryn has over a decade of catering experience, ranging from fine dining restaurants and food festivals through to other high end London event caterers.
STEVEN LARDNER
Operations Manager
Steven is a diligent and highly motivated member of the Bubble team. His perfectionist approach to planning and delivering events ensures that they are always a seamless experience for our clients.
With experience gained at a number of prominent catering companies and prestigious sporting events, Steven has keen attention to detail. His thoroughknowledge of delivering a wide range of events, and his innate people skills result in flawless events.
KATE BENDALL
Deputy Head of Sales and Marketing
Kate undertakes strategic sales activities and is responsible for driving the sales team to secure events. With a wide client portfolio, she specialises in high profile, large scale events and celebrity parties.
Kate has extensive experience of delivering large scale corporate events for a broad range of clients as diverse as global banks, international consultancies, media and advertising firms and government departments/agencies. Prior to joining Bubble she undertook leading roles within various prominent events catering companies, venue teams and private members clubs.
Damian Stanczuk
Warehouse Manager
Having begun in event catering as a porter in 2006, Warehouse Manager, Damian Stanczuk, manages all warehouse functions including the safe and organised storage of a wide range of catering equipment, styling props, food stations and bars that are kept on our premises, and the coordination of our vehicle fleet. He is responsible for purchasing a variety of non-kitchen related event supplies and oversees our warehouse assistants and agency event porters, in managing event pick-lists and packing vans.
